Outlook and Stripo: create an easy-to-send email template

Here's a recurring need: how on earth design and send an email template DIRECTLY from OutlookWindows e-mail software? And stick to the recipient's inbox rendering?

Of course, at Badsender, we take great pleasure and passion in working with our customers on graphic design and development of the HTML code for the email media. But not everyone can afford the services of an agency. So you might be tempted to do it yourself... STOOOOP! No way! It's more complex than it looks, you know!

And best of all, there are tools like Stripo that do it really well. Calm down, I'll tell you how to do it. I'm shooting myself in the foot, but I'm generous, it'll kill me!

A brief aside and a moment of self-promotion: the limits of Outlook for email template creation

To the question: "Is Outlook suitable for designing and sending emails?"My answer is yes, of course, since it's a tool dedicated to creating and sending emails... But as for marketing emails or HTML emailing campaigns: no, not really, that's another story... Outlook presents a number of constraints for email creation :

• From integration and support limitations HTML and CSS code.
• Complex management of background images, still images and fonts.
• Rendering may vary according to Outlook version.
• Eliminating media queries your recipients will only see the desktop version of the message, even on mobile devices.
  

And that's just a flavour of the issues! I've detailed them in an exhaustive article on e-mail display problems on Outlook. Hence the need for specialized emailing agencies or use professional tools like Stripo, which can be used to design emails optimized specifically for Outlook. There, I've said it!

Stripo: the ideal tool for creating Outlook email templates

What is Stripo and why use it?

Stripo is an email template editora email builder stand alone what! It simplifies email creation. Why is that? Because it offers :

• A intuitive interfacefor fast, drag-and-drop email creation.
• A wide range of design and graphic customization options : colors, images, text formatting, fonts, coloration, widths, buttons... Almost anything is possible!
• A Outlook compatibilityto ensure that email templates work correctly on Outlook, at the design stage, but also to ensure correct rendering on different versions of the recipient's software.
• From email preview tests available directly in the solution.
  
• A simple export in just two clicks.

How do I create an Outlook email template with Stripo?

How do I get started with Stripo to create an email?

1. First, create an account on the if you haven't already. This is the basis.
2. Choose a model (basic or pre-built) or start a design from scratch, from an empty e-mail.
3. Customize your template Change colors, fonts, etc. in the general settings to reflect your visual identity.
4. Add or modify blocks images, text, call-to-action (CTA) buttons, separators...

How to maximize Outlook compatibility?

• Avoid poorly supported features (like a video or animated gif, stopped in its first state).
• Choose standard fonts (also known as system fonts or websafe font): basically, the pre-installed default fonts on your recipients' machines. What's the point? Because calling up exotic or external fonts (such as Google Font, or the font you've created and hosted on your server) isn't properly supported on Outlook.
• For call-to-action buttons, activate the "Support for Outlook available in the button parameters, to ensure that these elements are displayed as faithfully as possible in the e-mail program. Beware, however, of the final file weight: as the warning message below points out, adding VML code makes the HTML code heavier... And by the way, forget about features like button hovers.
  
• Test your design with Stripo's "Preview" tool.

And now, how do you export your Stripo template to Outlook?

1. Click on "Export in Stripo.
   
2. Select option "Outlook App for use with Outlook e-mail software. Or choose "Outlook Web for sending from the associated webmail.
   
3. Select format OTF or EML
   
4. Double-click on the downloaded file to open your template in Outlook. Or use the "Create an email file in Outlook. All versions of Outlook since 2003 (except the new Outlook, as mentioned in the screenshot above) are able to open an .oft file.
5. Enter your subject and recipients.
6. Send your email.

Choosing between OFT and EML

What is an OFT file?

OFT, for Outlook File Template. OFT files, specifically designed for use in Outlook, are email templates created in Microsoft Outlook. They can only be launched by certain applications: Microsoft Office Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express. They enable you to reuse an email layout, content or design to send a message without having to recreate everything each time.

Note: By opening the OFT file in Outlook, you can still make content and design changes. However, they will not be reflected in the original OFT file.

What is an EML file?

EML, for Electronic Mail. EML files are complete emails, containing both content (images, text, etc.) and metadata (subject, sender, recipient, etc.). They are most often used to transfer an existing email. They are therefore generally read-only, with no subsequent modification.

The answers to the questions you're going to ask me, I can see you coming...

Is Stripo free for creating email templates?

Yes, Stripo offers a free version that lets you create and test templates with essential functionality. The free version of Stripo is limited to 4 exports per month.

Can I send emails directly from Stripo?

Stripo doesn't send emails, that's not its vocation: it's not an ESP (Email Service Provider) but an email builder.

How can I be sure that my e-mail is displayed correctly in Outlook?

Use the compatibility tests included in Stripo (for a fee) or directly on EmailOnAcid or Litmus to check rendering on different versions of Outlook.

Conclusion

It's actually quite simple. Stripo are very good at what they do: in no time at all, the email template is created, saved, exported, imported into Outlook, and modified if necessary... Bravo l'artiste!

After that, there's no obligation: if you're still not comfortable doing it yourself, you can always count on us. And, on the other hand, if you'd like to create your email directly from Outlook, without going through Stripo, I can only warmly recommend the article " Use outlook templates for your internal mailings "written by Néthanaël Baptiste on the 24 jours de l'email website.